Electro-mechanical coin operated prize capsule fishing simulator game system

Abstract

A dispensing fishing game system includes a prize capsule storage bin in the form of a three dimensional play field at the bottom of a cabinet. A drive mechanism controls a fishing rod with lifelike operation. An external fishing rod hand and spool mechanism are activated by a player to manipulate the inside fishing rod mechanism to move side to side, or back and forth, a fishing hook in order for a player to move the hook and snag one of the prizes. Once hooked, the prize is lifted and released over a prize chute which then falls down and rolls into a prize opening for the player to collect.

We claim:  
     
       1. A dispensing game comprising: 
       a cabinet;  
       a plurality of prizes stored in the cabinet, each said prize comprising an associated loop;  
       an elongate boom having a near end and a far end, the boom being moveably mounted in the cabinet;  
       a spool carrying a line with a hook on a distal end of the line, the spool being rotatably mounted in proximity to the boom near end, the line being carried by the boom with the hook hanging downwardly from the boom far end;  
       drive means for controlling movement of the boom and rotation of the spool;  
       user control means mounted to the cabinet for commanding movement of the boom and the line; and  
       a control system operatively connected to the drive means and the user control means for controlling the drive means responsive to the commanded movement, wherein the hook can be manipulated to engage one of the loops and capture the associated prize.  
     
     
       2. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein said user control means comprises a joystick. 
     
     
       3. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein the prizes comprise transparent container carrying an article to be dispensed. 
     
     
       4. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein the control system detects a captured prize responsive to speed of the spool. 
     
     
       5. The dispensing game of  claim 4  further comprising means for vibrating the user control means responsive to the control system detecting a captured prize. 
     
     
       6. The dispensing game of  claim 1  further comprising a dispenser operatively associated with the cabinet for receiving a prize engaged by the hook. 
     
     
       7. The dispensing game of  claim 6  wherein the hook comprises a spring loaded hook that can be selectively pivoted by the line to release the prize into the dispenser. 
     
     
       8. The dispensing game of  claim 6  wherein the control system is operable to automatically move the prize to the dispenser responsive to the user capturing one of the prizes. 
     
     
       9. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein the drive means comprises a servo system for controlling movement of the boom. 
     
     
       10. The dispensing game of  claim 9  wherein the servo system comprises a first servo for controlling rotation of the boom about a vertical axis and a second servo controlling rotation of the boom about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       11. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein the drive means comprises a motor for driving the spool to wind and unwind the line. 
     
     
       12. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein the control system disables unwinding of the line responsive to sensing slack in the line. 
     
     
       13. The dispensing game of  claim 12  wherein speed of the spool is sensed by a spool encoder. 
     
     
       14. The dispensing game of  claim 1  wherein each said prize comprises a one piece container having first and second parts selectively movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
       15. The dispensing game of  claim 14  wherein the container comprises a transparent plastic container and the first and second parts are pivotal about a living hinge. 
     
     
       16. The dispensing claim of  claim 14  wherein the container has a plurality of holes defining said loops. 
     
     
       17. The dispensing game of  claim 16  wherein the holes have a select diameter in the range of ⅛″ to ⅜″ to vary skill level of the dispensing game. 
     
     
       18. A dispensing fishing game comprising: 
       a cabinet;  
       a plurality of prizes stored in the cabinet, each said prize comprising an associated loop;  
       an elongate fishing rod having a near end and a far end, the fishing rod being moveably mounted in the cabinet;  
       a spool carrying a line with a hook on a distal end of the line, the spool being rotatably mounted in proximity to the fishing rod near end, the line being carried by the boom with the hook hanging downwardly from the fishing rod far end; p 1  drive means for controlling movement of the fishing rod and rotation of the spool; user control means mounted to the cabinet for commanding movement of the fishing rod and the line; and  
       a control system operatively connected to the drive means and the user control means for controlling the drive means responsive to the commanded movement, wherein the hook can be manipulated to engage one of the loops and capture the associated prize.  
     
     
       19. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein said user control means comprises a joystick. 
     
     
       20. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein said user control means comprises a handle and fishing spool. 
     
     
       21. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the prizes comprise transparent container carrying an article to be dispensed. 
     
     
       22. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 21  wherein the containers comprise fish shaped containers. 
     
     
       23. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  further comprising means for vibrating the user control means responsive to the hook engaging one of the loops. 
     
     
       24. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  further comprising a dispenser operatively associated with the cabinet for receiving a prize engaged by the hook. 
     
     
       25. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 24  wherein the hook comprises a spring loaded hook that can be selectively pivoted by the line to release the prize into the dispenser. 
     
     
       26. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the drive means comprises a servo system for controlling movement of the rod. 
     
     
       27. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 26  wherein the servo system comprises a first servo for controlling rotation of the rod about a vertical axis and a second servo controlling rotation of the rod about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       28. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the drive means comprises a motor for driving the spool to wind and unwind the line. 
     
     
       29. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the control system disables unwinding of the line responsive to sensing slack in the line. 
     
     
       30. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the control system detects a captured prize responsive to speed of the spool. 
     
     
       31. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 30  wherein speed of the spool is sensed by a spool encoder. 
     
     
       32. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the control system comprises a programmed processor. 
     
     
       33. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 32  wherein the processor is programmed to vary control duration of play of the game to vary difficulty. 
     
     
       34. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  wherein the hook comprises a spring actuated hook. 
     
     
       35. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 18  further comprising a downwardly opening shell and the hook is pivotally mounted in the shell with the line extending through an opening in the shell and is secured to the hook, wherein when the shell engages the rod, the hook is pivoted upwardly to release the captured prize. 
     
     
       36. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 35  further comprising a spring connected to the shell and the hook for biasing the hook downwardly. 
     
     
       37. The dispensing game of  claim 18  wherein each said prize comprises a one piece container having first and second parts selectively movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
       38. The dispensing game of  claim 18  wherein the container comprises a transparent plastic container and the first and second parts are pivotal about a living hinge. 
     
     
       39. The dispensing claim of  claim 18  wherein the container has a plurality of holes defining said loops. 
     
     
       40. The dispensing game of  claim 39  wherein the holes have a select diameter in the range of ⅛″ to ⅜″ to vary skill level of the dispensing game. 
     
     
       41. A dispensing fishing game comprising: 
       a cabinet;  
       a plurality of prizes stored in the cabinet, each said prize comprising an associated loop;  
       an elongate fishing rod having a near end and a far end, the fishing rod being moveably mounted in the cabinet;  
       a spool carrying a line with an actuable hook on a distal end of the line, the spool being rotatably mounted in proximity to the fishing rod near end, the line being carried by the boom with the hook hanging downwardly from the fishing rod far end;  
       drive means for controlling movement of the fishing rod and rotation of the spool; and  
       a control system operatively connected to the drive means for controlling the drive means, wherein the hook can be manipulated to engage one of the loops and selectively capture and release the associated prize.  
     
     
       42. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 41  wherein the actuable hook comprises a downwardly opening shell and a hook element pivotally mounted in the shell with the line extending through an opening in the shell and secured to the hook element, wherein when the shell engages the rod, the hook element is pivoted upwardly to release the captured prize. 
     
     
       43. The dispensing fishing game of  claim 41  further comprising a spring connected to the shell and the hook element for biasing the hook element downwardly.